We are thrilled to launch a new film grant for filmmakers and journalists working on environmental stories in South America.
For storytellers reporting on the Amazon region, this grant supports a short documentary that explores the people, environments, and challenges within this vital rainforest ecosystem.
We’re looking for character driven stories that focus on the conservation of the Amazon basin, as well as threats to the ecosystem and communities who depend upon it.
Selected applicants will receive up to $5k funding, one-to-one mentoring, Executive Producer support, and a platform to showcase their work, as well as being a part of the 2025 OWM Fellowship cohort.
Selected Project
FILMMAKER | Felipe Esparza Pérez | Peru
Felipe Esparza Pérez is a Peruvian filmmaker whose work has screened internationally, including at Rencontres Internationales Paris/Berlin, Rotterdam International Film Festival and Biennale Videobrasil, among others. His debut feature Cielo Abierto won the ILO Award for Decent Work at the Lima Film Festival in 2023. With on-the-ground experience filming in the Amazon, he brings the know-how to create an ethically grounded piece that illuminates marginalized communities and ecological struggles. He is currently a fellow at the Film Study Center at Harvard University.
STORY | Clean Gold
Clean Gold will follow two miners and close friends working in one of the planet’s most threatened ecosystems and the complexities of pursuing cleaner, more sustainable mining practices. Lucila Huanca Ampuero is a formal miner in Madre de Dios who rejects mercury, using a gravimetric table to extract gold responsibly. Her friend Ángel, however, still relies on mercury, not by choice but by necessity. Their contrasting methods reveal the tension between ecological responsibility and economic survival that defines artisanal mining across the region. By centering their personal bond, the film will challenge dominant narratives that blame small-scale miners as the primary culprits of deforestation and contamination and instead explore the broader forces at play: criminalization, corruption, precarious livelihoods, and the ongoing fight for dignity. As Lucila encourages Ángel to leave mercury behind and adopt cleaner technologies, Clean Gold will uncover both the hope and the contradictions embedded in the struggle for a sustainable future.
What kind of stories?
The Amazon covers a huge area of South America. Nearly 60% of the rainforest is in Brazil, while the rest is shared among eight other countries—Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, Venezuela and French Guiana.
This grant is open to any proposals related to the conservation of the Amazon basin (the 9 countries) as well as threats to the ecosystem and communities who depend upon it. This includes the Western Andes Amazon region, so transboundary stories are also welcomed.
We’re looking for a short film around 10 minutes.
We’re interested in character-driven stories, and would prioritise ones that are solutions-oriented.
Some angles we are interested in include, but are not limited to, the following areas:
- wildlife
- bioeconomy or sustainable businesses
- scientific research
- design or construction
- agriculture/fishing or future food systems
Who is it for?
Journalists and filmmakers reporting in the Amazon region. Eligible applicants would be from and based in these countries: Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, Venezuela and French Guiana.
We’re looking for mid-career applicants, with at least 3 years of experience in their field.
Selected applicant will take part in the One World Media Fellowship 2025, as they report on their media piece.
What do the Fellows receive?
- Up to $5k funding for their project
- Their film hosted on Mongabay’s platforms
- Executive Producer and production support
- One-to-one mentoring
- Additional support from Mongabay for travel expenses and post-production
- Workshops and peer support as part of the one year One World Media Fellowship programme
- Membership of the One World Media global alumni network
Examples
Here are some examples for videos that Monagabay produced, for inspiration!
About Mongabay
This grant is offered as a collaboration between One World Media and Mongabay.
Mongabay is an independent media organization reporting on Nature and planetary challenges with a global network of local journalists. They believe that credible, accurate and compelling journalism is essential to successfully address the planetary emergency. Because sharing knowledge through stories can inform, inspire and sustain effective action worldwide.